
Creating a Telegram chat bot can seem daunting, but with the right tools and knowledge, it's definitely achievable.
You can create a Telegram chat bot using the BotFather bot, which allows you to create and manage your bot.
To get started, you'll need to create a new bot by talking to BotFather and following the prompts.
The BotFather bot will guide you through the process of creating and configuring your bot.
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Creating a Bot
Creating a bot is a straightforward process. You can use the /newbot command to create a new bot, and @BotFather will ask you for a name and username. The name of your bot is displayed in contact details and elsewhere.
The username is a short name, used in search, mentions, and t.me links. It's 5-32 characters long, not case sensitive, and can only include Latin characters, numbers, and underscores. Your bot's username must end in 'bot', like 'tetris_bot' or 'TetrisBot'.
To create a new bot, you'll also receive an authentication token, a string like 110201543:AAHdqTcvCH1vGWJxfSeofSAs0K5PALDsaw. Keep your token secure and store it safely, as it can be used by anyone to control your bot.
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What We're Building and Why It Matters
We're building a system that handles natural conversation, intelligent responses, professional customer interactions, and seamless deployment to Telegram's 700+ million users. This system is powered by Voiceflow's Agent steps and your website's knowledge base.
With this system, customers can interact with your business at any time, even when you're sleeping. A potential customer can message your Telegram bot at 2 AM and get instant intelligent responses.
We're creating a complete tutorial to help you implement this system yourself, but for now, let's focus on why Telegram is the perfect platform for AI deployments. Unlike WhatsApp Business API, Telegram bots go live instantly, with no lengthy approval processes or ID verifications required.
Here are the key benefits of using Telegram for AI deployments:
- Zero Friction Deployment
- Cost-Effective Scaling
- Superior API Capabilities
- Professional User Experience
These benefits make Telegram the ultimate combination for AI deployments.
Creating A New
Creating a new bot is a straightforward process, and I'm here to walk you through the steps. To create a new bot, use the /newbot command to create a new bot, and @BotFather will ask you for a name and username.
The name of your bot is displayed in contact details and elsewhere, so choose a name that accurately represents your bot. The username, on the other hand, is a short name used in search, mentions, and t.me links, and it must end in 'bot', like 'tetris_bot' or 'TetrisBot'.
To create a new bot, you'll need to provide a username that is 5-32 characters long and not case sensitive – but may only include Latin characters, numbers, and underscores.
Here are the key requirements for a bot username:
Once you've created a new bot, @BotFather will generate an authentication token for your new bot, which is required to authorize the bot and send requests to the Bot API. Keep your token secure and store it safely, it can be used by anyone to control your bot.
Bot Configuration
To set up your Telegram chat bot, you'll need to configure it properly. You can do this manually by browsing to your Home Assistant instance, going to Settings > Devices & Services, and selecting the Add Integration button.
To choose the right configuration, you have three options: Broadcast, Polling, or Webhooks. You'll also need to enter your Telegram bot's API token and proxy URL if you're working behind one.
Here are the settings you can customize for your bot:
- /setname – change your bot's name.
- /setdescription – change the bot's description (short text up to 512 characters).
- /setabouttext – change the bot's about info, a shorter text up to 120 characters.
- /setuserpic – change the bot's profile picture.
- /setcommands – change the list of commands supported by your bot.
- /setdomain – link a website domain to your bot.
- /deletebot – delete your bot and free its username.
Configuration
To configure your Telegram bot, you can either use the manual steps or the automated setup process in Home Assistant.
If you choose to perform the manual steps, you'll need to browse to your Home Assistant instance, go to Settings > Devices & Services, and select the Add Integration button.
To set up your Telegram bot, you'll need to select the Telegram bot type, which can be either Broadcast, Polling, or Webhooks.
The API token of your bot is required for the setup process, so make sure you have it handy.
If you're working behind a proxy, you may need to include the proxy URL, including username and password if necessary, in the setup process.
You can also choose to overwrite the external URL from the Home Assistant configuration for different setups.
The Telegram server access ACL as list is also a required setting, with a default value of 149.154.160.0/20, 91.108.4.0/22.
Here's a summary of the required settings:
- Telegram bot type (Broadcast, Polling, or Webhooks)
- API token of your bot
- Proxy URL (if working behind a proxy)
- External URL (if overwriting the default)
- Telegram server access ACL as list
Document
The Document configuration is a crucial part of setting up your Telegram bot. You can send a document using the `telegram_bot.send_document` action.
To specify the document, you can use the `url` attribute, which is the remote path to the document. This attribute is optional, but it's a convenient way to send a document from a URL.
Alternatively, you can use the `file` attribute, which is the local path to the document. This attribute is also optional, and it's useful if you want to send a document from your local file system.
You can also specify a caption for the document using the `caption` attribute. This attribute is optional, but it's a good idea to include a caption to provide context for the document.
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Here's a summary of the Document configuration attributes:
The Document configuration also allows you to specify authentication details if the document is stored on a secure server. You can use the `authentication` attribute to specify the authentication method, such as HTTP basic or digest authentication, or OAuth 2.0 bearer token authentication.
To specify the authentication details, you can use the `username` and `password` attributes. These attributes are optional, but they're necessary if you're using HTTP basic or digest authentication.
Here's a summary of the authentication attributes:
By specifying the correct authentication details, you can securely send documents from a remote server using the Document configuration.
Location
To send a location with your Telegram bot, you'll need to specify the latitude and longitude. The latitude is the horizontal coordinate, and the longitude is the vertical coordinate.
You can pass in the latitude and longitude as separate data attributes, but they're not required. If you don't provide them, the bot will send the location without a specific coordinate.
The target attribute is required, and it should be an array of pre-authorized chat_ids or user_ids. This is where you specify who should receive the location notification.
If you want to send the message silently, you can set the disable_notification attribute to True. This will prevent iOS and web users from receiving a notification, but Android users will still receive one with no sound.
To resize the keyboard vertically for optimal fit, you can set the resize_keyboard attribute to True. This will make the keyboard fit the screen better, but it's not enabled by default.
Here's a summary of the location-related attributes:
Bot Features
A Telegram chat bot has several features that make it easy to create and manage. Inputs, interactions, integration, monetization, language support, and bot management are all part of the bot's capabilities.
The bot's features also include a customizable and extendable interface, making it easy to tailor to your needs. This is especially useful for bots that need to interact with users in different languages.
Here are some key features of a Telegram chat bot:
- Fully asynchronous
- Convenient shortcut methods, e.g. Message.reply_text
- Fully annotated with static type hints
- Customizable and extendable interface
- Seamless integration with webhooks and polling
- Comprehensive documentation and examples
The bot also supports Telegram API, allowing for a wide range of functionality.
Features
Bots have a range of features that make them powerful tools. One key feature is inputs, which allow users to interact with the bot.
Interactions are another crucial aspect of bots, enabling users to engage with the bot in various ways. Integration is also important, as it allows bots to work seamlessly with other systems and services.
Monetization is a feature that enables bot creators to earn revenue from their bots. Language Support is another feature that allows bots to communicate with users in multiple languages.
Bot Management is a feature that helps bot creators manage their bots effectively. BotFather is a tool that allows creators to create and manage their bots with ease.
Some notable features of this library include being fully asynchronous, which means it can handle multiple tasks at the same time. It also has convenient shortcut methods, such as Message.reply_text, which makes coding easier.
The library is also fully annotated with static type hints, which helps developers understand the code better. It has a customizable and extendable interface, making it easy to adapt to different needs.
The library also has seamless integration with webhooks and polling, which enables real-time updates and notifications. Comprehensive documentation and examples are also available, making it easy for developers to learn and use the library.
The library natively supports all types and methods of the Telegram Bot API 9.1. It also supports additional Bot API functionality not yet included in the native support, as described in the wiki.
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Stickers and Custom Emoji
Stickers and Custom Emoji are a distinctive Telegram feature used by millions of users to share artwork every day. They come in various formats, including basic images, smooth vector animations, and high-detail .WEBM videos.
Telegram's Bot API supports all these formats, allowing bots to create, edit, delete, and share new artwork packs on the fly. The Import API lets users migrate packs from other platforms and sticker apps.
To create a sticker pack, you need to prepare your artwork following Telegram's technical requirements. You can then use the createStickerSet method to create a new sticker pack, specifying the sticker_type as regular for a sticker pack or custom emoji for a pack of custom emoji. The files you want to include in the pack should be attached as an array of InputSticker.
Custom emoji support adaptive colors, which will always match the current context. To enable this feature, use the needs_repainting parameter in createStickerSet.
You can also add stickers or emoji later on using the addStickerToSet method.
For more insights, see: Telegram Bot Api Markdownv2 String
Language Support
Language Support is a crucial feature for bots, especially if you want to cater to a global audience. The good news is that bots can easily adapt to different languages.
To do this, bots use the user's language_code, which is an IETF language tag included in every relevant update. This allows bots to update inputs and information on the fly.
Your interfaces, texts, and inline results should seamlessly adapt to the language_code without requiring user intervention. This means that users should not need to change anything on their end for the bot to work in their preferred language.
Connected WebApps will receive the user's language_code, and your HTML page should account for it. This is a simple but important step to ensure a smooth user experience.
HTML5 Games can also obtain language information if you specify it as a URL parameter. You can generate this parameter from the language_code field in the User object served with the initial game CallbackQuery.
The bot's Name, Description, and About text can be natively localized with the respective methods. This makes it easy to provide a personalized experience for users.
Command lists can also be specified for individual languages. Here's a quick rundown of how to handle language_code:
- Your interfaces, texts, and inline results should adapt seamlessly to the language_code.
- Connected WebApps will receive the user's language_code.
- HTML5 Games can obtain language information if you specify it as a URL parameter.
- The bot's Name, Description, and About text can be natively localized.
- Command lists can be specified for individual languages.
It's worth noting that the language_code is an optional field, which means it could be empty. If you target the general public, your code should always fall back to either the last recorded language tag or English (in this order) when the field is missing for a specific user.
Interactions
Interactions with Telegram chat bots are versatile and convenient. You can interact with them without opening a specific chat or group.
There are several ways to interact with bots in Telegram, including inline mode, deep linking, and attachment menu integration. Inline mode allows sending requests to bots right from the input field – from any chat on Telegram. This feature is super useful when you need to quickly send a command or message to a bot.
Deep linking allows special links that send certain parameters to the bot when opened. This is a great way to share specific actions with others or create custom links for your bot.
You can also use bots from the attachment menu in chats, thanks to attachment menu integration. This feature makes it easy to access and interact with bots from within a chat.
Here are the different interaction methods with bots in Telegram:
- Inline mode: Send requests to bots from any chat on Telegram.
- Deep linking: Use special links to send parameters to the bot when opened.
- Attachment menu integration: Access and interact with bots from within a chat.
Poll
Polls are a great way to engage with your audience, and Telegram bot makes it easy to create and send them. You can configure the Telegram bot in your Home Assistant instance to send polls with up to 10 options.
The question of a poll can be up to 300 characters long, and you can choose to make it anonymous or allow multiple answers. The poll will be active for a specified amount of time, ranging from 5 to 600 seconds.
Here's a breakdown of the data attributes you can use to configure a poll:
Interactions
Interactions are a key part of any bot, and Telegram offers several ways to interact with them without opening a specific chat or group.
You can send commands and messages to the chat with the bot, but that's not all. Inline mode allows sending requests to bots right from the input field – from any chat on Telegram.
Deep linking allows special links that send certain parameters to the bot when opened. This is a useful feature that can simplify interactions with your bot.
Attachment menu integration makes it possible to use bots from the attachment menu in chats. This can be a convenient way to interact with your bot without having to open a specific chat.
Inline Keyboards are another way to interact with bots without sending messages to the chat. They can be used to change settings, toggle options, or navigate search results, all without cluttering the chat with extra messages.

Here are some examples of how you can use Inline Keyboards:
These are just a few examples of the many ways you can interact with Telegram bots. By using inline mode, deep linking, attachment menu integration, and inline keyboards, you can create a more seamless and user-friendly experience for your bot's users.
User Selection
User Selection is a powerful feature that allows bots to present users with a friendly and intuitive interface to select groups, channels, or other users. This can be done according to a custom set of criteria.
To get started, you'll need to pick a set of criteria and store them in a KeyboardButtonRequestChat object, or KeyboardButtonRequestUser for users. This is a crucial step in setting up the user selection feature.
Here's a quick guide to using this feature:
- Pick a set of criteria and store them in a KeyboardButtonRequestChat object (or KeyboardButtonRequestUser for users).
- Create a KeyboardButton and store the criteria under request_chat or request_user respectively.
- Send a ReplyKeyboardMarkup that contains the button you just created.
- When the user selects a chat, you'll receive its identifier in a chat_shared or user_shared service message.
Keep in mind that the bot may not be able to use the identifier it receives if the corresponding chat or user is not already known or accessible by some other means.
Manage Games

Managing your games is a breeze with our bot. You can create a new game with the command /newgame.
If you have multiple games, you can see a list of them with the command /listgames. This is especially useful if you have a lot of games going on at the same time.
You can also edit an existing game with the command /editgame. This is great if you need to make some changes to a game you're already playing.
If you need to get rid of a game, you can delete it with the command /deletegame. Please note that it may take a few minutes for changes to take effect.
If you have any questions about managing your games, you can check out our Bot FAQ for more information. If you're experiencing issues with our API, you can contact @BotSupport on Telegram for assistance.
Leave Chat
Leaving a chat group is a straightforward process. You can use the `telegram_bot.leave_chat` action to remove the bot from the chat group where it was added.
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To use this action, you'll need to specify the config entry ID of the Telegram bot. This is required if you have multiple Telegram bots. If you only have one bot, you can omit this field.
The `config_entry_id` field is optional, but it's necessary if you have multiple bots. You can find the config entry ID in your app's configuration settings.
You can also specify the chat ID from where to remove the bot. However, this is not required. If you don't specify the chat ID, the bot will leave the chat group where it was added.
Here's a summary of the data attributes you can use with the `telegram_bot.leave_chat` action:
Photo
When sending a photo, you can choose to send it from a remote path or a local path. You can specify the remote path using the `url` attribute, and the local path using the `file` attribute.
To send a photo from a remote path, you can use the `url` attribute. For example, you can use `url="https://example.com/image.jpg"` to send a photo from a URL.
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Sending a photo from a local path is also an option. You can use the `file` attribute to specify the local path to the image. For example, you can use `file="/path/to/image.jpg"` to send a photo from a local file.
You can also add a caption to the photo using the `caption` attribute. This will add a title to the photo that will be displayed to the recipient.
Here are the options for sending a photo with a caption:
You can choose to send the photo silently by setting the `disable_notification` attribute to `True`. This will prevent the recipient from receiving a notification, but Android users will still receive a notification with no sound.
Monetization
With Telegram's robust ecosystem of monetization features, you can support your bot's development with multiple revenue streams. You can sell digital goods and services, like online courses, commissioned artwork, and items in games, using your bot as a sales platform.
Developers can offer paid subscriptions to their bot, adding multiple tiers of content and features tailored to their audience. This allows you to create a loyal community that's willing to pay for exclusive content.
You can also participate in revenue sharing from Telegram Ads, receiving 50% of the revenue from ads that appear in the chat with your bot. This is a great way to earn money without having to create and manage ads yourself.
Here are some popular monetization methods for Telegram bots:
- Sell digital goods and services
- Offer paid subscriptions
- Participate in revenue sharing from Telegram Ads
Remember, Telegram doesn't collect any payment data or fees, so you'll need to work with a third-party payment provider to handle transactions. This might involve setting up a Stripe account and obtaining a token to use with your bot.
Payments and Integration
You can integrate your Telegram chat bot with other services in various ways, such as using Web Apps to replace any website or building tools and integrating business services.
To accept payments, you can use Telegram Stars as currency, specifying XTR as the currency code. This is in compliance with third-party store policies.
Here are the steps to implement payments: pick a provider, obtain a token and test token, implement payments via API methods, test your implementation, send an invoice, validate the order, accept the checkout, confirm the payment, and ship the goods or provide the services.
If you're looking to integrate payments with your bot, here's a quick rundown of the process:
- Pick a provider and obtain the proper token as well as a test token from the "Stripe TEST MODE" provider.
- Implement payments via the appropriate API methods.
- Test your implementation by using your test token along with a test credit card.
Telegram does not directly process payments, does not store data about orders, and does not collect any fees. Invoices are forwarded directly to the third-party payment provider, so disputes must be solved between the user, the bot developer, and the payment provider.
Allowlisting Via Subentries
To allowlist a Telegram chat ID, you must first retrieve the chat ID and create a subentry.
You can find the chat ID by going to Settings > Devices & services, selecting the Telegram bot integration, and then selecting the three dots menu next to the entry.

Select Add allowed chat ID to proceed with the allowlisting process.
To allowlist a chat ID, you must go to Settings > Devices & services, select the Telegram bot integration, and then select the three dots menu next to the entry.
Select Add allowed chat ID to create a subentry for the chat ID.
The chat ID is a unique numerical identifier for an individual user (positive) or a chat group (negative).
Here is a step-by-step guide to allowlisting a chat ID via subentries:
- Go to Settings > Devices & services.
- Select the Telegram bot integration.
- Next to the entry, select the three dots menu. Then, select Add allowed chat ID.
Integration
Integration is a key feature of Telegram bots. You can use Web Apps to replace any website, making it easy to integrate your bot with other services.
To build a seamless experience, consider integrating business services with your bot. This can be done using various tools and services.
Accepting payments is also possible via third-party payment providers that support integration with Bots and Mini Apps. This opens up new revenue streams for your bot.
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You can also connect to Telegram using the Web Login functionality, which provides a smooth experience for users. This feature is available on multiple platforms, including iPhone/iPad, Android, and Mobile Web.
Here are some ways to integrate your bot with other services:
- Use Web Apps to replace any website.
- Build tools and integrate business services.
- Accept Payments via third-party payment providers that support integration with Bots and Mini Apps.
- Connect to Telegram using the Web Login functionality.
- Create gaming bots by integrating HTML5 Games.
- Help users create and manage Telegram Stickers.
Advanced Features
As you dive deeper into creating a Telegram chat bot, you'll want to explore the advanced features that take your bot to the next level.
Inputs are a crucial aspect of any bot, allowing users to interact with your bot in various ways.
Interactions are where the magic happens, enabling your bot to respond to user inputs and provide a seamless experience.
Integration is also key, allowing you to connect your bot with other services and platforms to expand its capabilities.
Monetization options are available, giving you the ability to earn revenue from your bot.
Language Support is a feature that allows your bot to communicate with users in multiple languages.
Bot Management is essential for creating and managing multiple bots, ensuring they run smoothly and efficiently.
BotFather is a tool that enables you to create and manage bots, making it easier to get started with bot development.
Here's a quick rundown of the advanced features mentioned above:
- Inputs
- Interactions
- Integration
- Monetization
- Language Support
- Bot Management
- BotFather, creating and managing bots
API and Development
The Telegram Bot API is fully supported by this library, allowing you to access all types and methods of the Telegram Bot API 9.1.
This means you can leverage the full potential of the Telegram Bot API without any limitations.
The library also supports functionality not yet included in the native API, which can be used as described in the library's wiki. This adds an extra layer of flexibility to your bot development.
Inline Requests
You can interact with your bot via inline queries straight from the message field in any chat. Just start a message with your bot's @username and enter a keyword, and your bot will receive the query.
Users can request and send content from your bot in any of their chats, groups, or channels. This is especially useful for web app bots, which can also be used inline.
To enable inline functionality, you need to enable it via @BotFather. If you don't, your bot will not receive inline updates.
Examples of inline bots include @gif, @bing, and @wiki.
API Support
API support is a crucial aspect of any development project. This library natively supports all types and methods of the Telegram Bot API 9.1.
Having robust API support can save you a significant amount of time and effort in development. Bot API functionality not yet natively included can still be used as described in the library's wiki.
This level of support is particularly useful for developers working with Telegram bots, allowing them to leverage the full range of available functionality.
Take a look at this: Telegram App Development
Optional Dependencies
Optional Dependencies are a great way to add extra functionality to your Python Telegram Bot. You can install them using pip with the following syntax: pip install "python-telegram-bot[dependency name]".
For your interest: Python Telegram Bot Library

For example, if you want to use Telegram Passport related functionality, you can install the cryptography library with pip install "python-telegram-bot[passport]".
To install multiple dependencies at once, simply separate them by commas. For instance, pip install "python-telegram-bot[socks,webhooks]" installs both the httpx[socks] and tornado libraries.
You can also install all optional dependencies with a single command: pip install "python-telegram-bot[all]". This installs all the dependencies listed in the article. If you only want to install dependencies related to telegram.ext, you can use pip install "python-telegram-bot[ext]".
Here are some specific optional dependencies you can install:
- passport: pip install "python-telegram-bot[passport]"
- socks: pip install "python-telegram-bot[socks]"
- http2: pip install "python-telegram-bot[http2]"
- rate-limiter: pip install "python-telegram-bot[rate-limiter]"
- webhooks: pip install "python-telegram-bot[webhooks]"
- callback-data: pip install "python-telegram-bot[callback-data]"
- job-queue: pip install "python-telegram-bot[job-queue]"
Note that some of these dependencies have specific version requirements, so be sure to check the article for the most up-to-date information.
Video
The video feature in API and development is quite fascinating. You can send videos to Telegram chats using the `telegram_bot.send_video` action.
To send a video, you can use the `url` attribute to specify a remote path to the video. This is optional, but it's a great way to share videos from the web.
You can also use the `file` attribute to send a local video from your device. This is another option for sharing videos.
The `caption` attribute is used to add a title to the video. This is a great way to provide context and make the video more engaging.
Authentication is also an important aspect of sending videos. You can use the `authentication` attribute to specify the type of authentication to use, such as basic, digest, or bearer token.
Here's a summary of the video attributes:
You can also customize the video sending experience by using various other attributes, such as `parse_mode`, `disable_notification`, and `verify_ssl`. These attributes allow you to fine-tune the video sending process to suit your needs.
In some cases, you may need to specify additional information, such as the `timeout` or `resize_keyboard` attributes. These attributes can help you troubleshoot issues or customize the user experience.
Overall, the video feature in API and development is a powerful tool for sharing multimedia content with your audience. By using the right attributes and customization options, you can create a seamless and engaging experience for your users.
Troubleshooting and Scaling
As your business grows, you'll want to make sure your Telegram chat bot can keep up. The good news is that this combination is highly scalable.
You can easily add new features to your bot, like appointment booking or lead qualification, by integrating new pages to your website. This integration automatically incorporates new information into your bot's knowledge base.
With Telegram bots, you can handle thousands of simultaneous conversations, making it a great solution for businesses that need to support a large volume of users. Your Voiceflow plan scales with usage, so you only pay for what you need.
A fresh viewpoint: New Ai Chat Bot
Common Problems & Fixes
As you scale your chatbot, you'll inevitably run into common issues that can stump even the most seasoned developers. One such problem is verbose responses from your agent. To fix this, try adjusting your agent instructions to emphasize conciseness and add examples of ideal response length.
Reviewing your website content structure can also help improve the accuracy of knowledge base searches. Better organized, more specific content leads to more relevant results.

Users abandoning conversations is another issue that can be frustrating. Analyzing conversation transcripts can help you identify friction points, and often simplifying the initial greeting and making the bot's capabilities clearer can reduce abandonment.
Don't be afraid to add specific instructions for out-of-scope queries, including graceful redirections to human support when necessary. This will help your bot handle off-topic questions more effectively.
Scaling Your Success
As your business grows, you want your bot to grow with it, handling increased user volume and new features with ease.
The Telegram + Voiceflow combination can handle thousands of simultaneous conversations, making it perfect for businesses with a large customer base.
You only pay for what you need with Voiceflow's scalable plan, so you can focus on growing your business without worrying about extra costs.
With sitemap integration, your bot's knowledge base automatically updates as you add new pages to your website.
Start with simple features like FAQ handling and gradually add more complex ones like appointment booking or e-commerce integration.
This scalable approach allows you to build a bot that adapts to your business needs, from small to large.
For your interest: Telegram Business
Testing and Deployment
Testing and deployment are crucial steps in building a Telegram chat bot. You can quickly test your bot without interfering with its users by running another instance of your code on a different bot account.
To do so, create a new bot via @BotFather, obtain its token, and use it in the testing instance of your code. This way, all further testing and debugging can happen privately on the new bot, without affecting the original instance.
If you need to share file references across bots, note that the file_id field is tied to a single bot id, so your test instance cannot use a shared file_id database to quickly send media – files must be individually reuploaded.
To create a new bot in the test environment, you'll need to create a new user account and a new bot with @BotFather. This is because the test environment is completely separate from the main environment.
To create an account and log in, use one of the following methods:
- iOS: tap 10 times on the Settings icon > Accounts > Login to another account > Test.
- Telegram Desktop: open ☰ Settings > Shift + Alt + Right click 'Add Account' and select 'Test Server'.
- macOS: click the Settings icon 10 times to open the Debug Menu, ⌘ + click 'Add Account' and log in via phone number.
After logging in, simply create a new bot following the standard procedure and send your requests to the Test Bot API in this format:
Bot Management
Bot management is a crucial aspect of creating a successful Telegram chatbot.
You can manage your bot's interactions by using the BotFather tool, which allows you to create and manage multiple bots at once.
To manage your bot's interactions, you need to define a set of rules that determine how the bot responds to user input.
For example, you can use the BotFather tool to create a bot that responds to specific keywords or phrases.
The BotFather tool also allows you to set up a bot's permissions, such as allowing it to access certain APIs or databases.
By setting up a bot's permissions, you can ensure that it only interacts with users in a way that is intended.
You can also use the BotFather tool to monitor your bot's activity and performance, including its response time and error rate.
This helps you identify and fix any issues with your bot's interactions, ensuring that it is running smoothly and efficiently.
To monitor your bot's activity, you need to set up a logging system that tracks its interactions and performance metrics.
By using the BotFather tool to manage your bot's interactions, you can create a seamless and engaging user experience.
Message and Notification
You can send various types of notifications through Telegram, including messages, photos, videos, and more. The available actions include send_message, send_photo, send_video, and many others.
To send a message, you'll need to specify the config_entry_id, message, and target chat_ids or user_ids. You can also customize the notification with a title, parse mode, and more.
Here are some common data attributes you can use to customize your notifications:
These are just a few examples of the many customization options available. By using these attributes, you can tailor your notifications to fit your specific needs and preferences.
Text, Description, and Media

Your bot's description is the first thing users will see when they interact with it. Properly setting this field in @BotFather allows everyone to immediately get an idea of what your bot can do – your description should be brief, to the point, and on topic.
You can also add a photo or video to this field with Edit Description Picture in @BotFather.
Both the Description and the About text can be natively localized – each user will automatically see the correct translation for their language.
Attachment Menu
The Attachment Menu is a convenient feature that allows you to add bots directly to your chat, making it easy to access them whenever you need to.
Currently, this option is restricted to certain approved bots, but it may be expanded later.
You can try adding @DurgerKingBot to your attachment menu to see how it works.
Message
Messages in Telegram can be a powerful way to communicate with users. You can send various types of content, including messages, photos, videos, animations, voice notes, stickers, documents, and locations.
Check this out: Bot Text Messages
The available actions for sending content include send_message, send_photo, send_video, send_animation, send_voice, send_sticker, send_document, and send_location. These actions will return a list of message_id/chat_id for messages delivered.
You can customize the message by using the title attribute, which will be composed as ‘%title
%message’. The target attribute allows you to specify an array of pre-authorized chat_ids or user_ids to send the notification to.
Here are the available data attributes for the telegram_bot.send_message action:
You can also delete messages using the telegram_bot.delete_message action.
Voice
Voice messages are a great way to convey a lot of information in a short amount of time. You can send a voice message using the telegram_bot.send_voice action.
To send a voice message, you'll need to specify the config_entry_id, which represents the Telegram bot to send the message. This is required if you have multiple Telegram bots.
The voice message can be sent from a remote path (url) or a local path (file). If you're sending from a remote path, you can specify the username and password for HTTP basic or digest authentication.
You can also customize the voice message with a caption and choose which authentication method to use. The authentication method can be set to basic, digest, or bearer_token for OAuth 2.0 bearer token authentication.
Here are the authentication options:
You can also specify an array of pre-authorized chat_ids or user_ids to send the notification to. This defaults to the first allowed chat_id.
Additionally, you can send the message silently by setting disable_notification to True. This will send the message without a notification, but Android users will still receive a notification with no sound.
It's also worth noting that you can verify the SSL certificate of the server for HTTPS URLs by setting verify_ssl to True. This defaults to True.
Message Editing and Deletion
You can edit your bot's public-facing info directly from its profile page, including setting a custom profile video, starting from April 21, 2023 (Telegram 9.6).
To edit your bot's message, you can use the telegram_bot.edit_message action, which requires a config_entry_id, message_id, chat_id, and message. You can also use "last" to refer to the last message sent to chat_id.
The telegram_bot.edit_message action has several optional parameters, including title, parse_mode, disable_web_page_preview, and inline_keyboard. For example, you can use the following format for the inline keyboard: ["/button1, /button2", "/button3"] or [[["Text btn1", "/button1"], ["Text btn2", "/button2"]], [["Google link", "https://google.com"]]].
You can also edit the caption of a previously sent message using the telegram_bot.edit_caption action, which requires a config_entry_id, message_id, chat_id, and caption. The caption can be up to 4096 characters long, and you can also use the disable_web_page_preview parameter to disable link previews.
If you want to edit the inline keyboard of a previously sent message, you can use the telegram_bot.edit_replymarkup action, which requires a config_entry_id, message_id, chat_id, and inline_keyboard. The inline keyboard can be up to 64 buttons, and you can use the following format: ["/button1, /button2", "/button3"] or [[["Text btn1", "/button1"], ["Text btn2", "/button2"]], [["Google link", "https://google.com"]]].
You can also delete a message using the telegram_bot.delete_message action, which requires a config_entry_id, message_id, and chat_id.
Explore further: Google Chat Bot
Edit Message
Editing a message in Telegram can be a bit tricky, but don't worry, I've got you covered. You can edit a message using the telegram_bot.edit_message action, which allows you to change the message body, title, and even the inline keyboard.
To edit a message, you'll need to specify the config_entry_id, which represents the Telegram bot to edit the message. If you have multiple bots, this is required. You'll also need to provide the message_id of the message you want to edit, or use "last" to refer to the last message sent to the chat_id.
The chat_id is also required, as it specifies the chat where the message is located. You can also specify a title for your notification, which will be composed as ‘%title
%message’. If you want to change the parser for the message text, you can use the parse_mode attribute, which supports markdownv2, html, markdown, or plain_text.
Additionally, you can disable link previews for links in the message using the disable_web_page_preview attribute. Finally, you can create a custom inline keyboard with buttons and associated callback data or external URLs using the inline_keyboard attribute.
Here's a summary of the required attributes for editing a message:
That's it! With these attributes, you should be able to edit your messages like a pro.
Delete Message
You can delete a message using the action telegram_bot.delete_message.
To delete a message, you'll need to specify the config entry representing the Telegram bot to delete the message. If you have multiple Telegram bots, this is a required field.
You can refer to the last message sent to chat_id by using the keyword "last".
Notification Platform
The notification platform is a powerful feature of the Telegram chat bot. It allows you to send various types of content, including messages, photos, videos, and documents, to a specific chat_id.
Available actions include sending messages, photos, videos, animations, voice notes, stickers, documents, and locations, among others. The notification actions return a list of message_id/chat_id for messages delivered.
You can also use the telegram_bot integration to generate a customized shortcut, notify.USERNAME, to send notifications to a particular chat_id. This allows for backward compatibility with the old syntax.
The required YAML configuration for the telegram notification platform is reduced.
Webhooks and Home Assistant
To integrate your Telegram chatbot with Home Assistant, you'll need to set up webhooks. This involves exposing your Home Assistant instance to the internet, as described in the Telegram documentation.
To allow Telegram to push updates directly to your server, you'll need to follow the implementation steps outlined in the documentation. This will ensure that your Home Assistant instance receives updates in real-time.
You can also grant Telegram access to your Home Assistant files by adding the file's folder to the allowlist_external_dirs in your configuration.yaml file. This is optional, but necessary if you want to send local files through the Telegram bot.
If you're using the Webhooks platform, ensure that your certificates are signed by a public Certificate Authority (CA) if you're using the Reverse proxy or Direct method. If you're using Home Assistant Cloud, don't forget to include 127.0.0.1 in the Trusted networks field.
Here are the required methods to allow Telegram to connect to your Home Assistant:
- Reverse proxy
- Direct method
Webhooks
Webhooks are a powerful feature in Home Assistant that allow Telegram to push updates directly to your server. This implementation requires your Home Assistant instance to be exposed to the internet.
To use webhooks, you'll need to allow Telegram to connect to your Home Assistant using one of the following methods: Reverse proxy, Direct method, or Webhooks platform. The Webhooks platform is the most common method.
If you're using the Webhooks platform, be aware that it currently doesn't support self-signed certificates for HTTPS. This means you'll need to ensure that your certificates are signed by a public Certificate Authority (CA).
When setting up webhooks, you'll need to include 127.0.0.1 in the Trusted networks field if you're using Home Assistant Cloud. This is because incoming requests are not forwarded to your Home Assistant.
Here are the different Telegram bot types you can choose from:
- Broadcast: Send messages to all connected devices.
- Polling: Send messages to devices that are currently connected.
- Webhooks: Receive updates directly from Telegram.
To configure your webhooks, you'll need to provide the API token of your bot, as well as the Proxy URL if you're working behind a proxy. You may also need to specify a Telegram server access ACL as a list.
Allow Access to Home Assistant Files
Allowing access to Home Assistant files is a straightforward process. To enable Telegram bot to send local files, you must grant access to it by adding the file's folder to allowlist_external_dirs.
This configuration is done in the configuration.yaml file. You'll need to add the file's folder path to the allowlist_external_dirs section.
By doing this, you're essentially giving the Telegram bot permission to access and send local files from Home Assistant.
Using Ai
Using AI can significantly reduce the time it takes to generate creative ideas and chatbot structure. You can use artificial intelligence to create flow scenarios based on your needs by specifying all the details you'd like to include in your bot and typing in your flow requirements and prompts.
Go to the chatbot builder and click Create a flow with AI. This will allow you to integrate with ChatGPT and provide questions about your company to which you want your bot to respond.
Artificial intelligence can also generate unscripted replies to users in real time. This is especially useful for handling customer inquiries and providing instant intelligent responses.
Here are some key benefits of using AI in your Telegram chatbot:
- Zero friction deployment: Telegram bots go live instantly, unlike WhatsApp Business API that requires lengthy approval processes.
- Cost-effective scaling: Telegram is significantly cheaper than Meta channels while offering more API flexibility.
- Superior API capabilities: Telegram's Bot API provides extensive functionality, including inline keyboards, file sharing, and group management.
To get started with building your intelligent agent, follow these steps:
1. Add an Agent step to your workflow.
2. Give it general instructions, API tools, and access to the knowledge base.
3. Toggle on the Knowledge Base tool and configure the LLM description to tell the agent when and how to search your imported content.
4. Set the chunk limit to 3 to provide the agent with enough context.
5. Choose an AI model, such as Claude 4 or GPT-4, which have shown strong results in testing.
By following these steps and using AI to generate creative ideas and chatbot structure, you can create a professional and effective Telegram chatbot that provides instant intelligent responses to users.
Concurrency
Concurrency is a crucial aspect of building a telegram chat bot, and python-telegram-bot has a specific approach to it.
Since v20.0, python-telegram-bot is built on top of Python's asyncio module, which is generally single-threaded.
This means that python-telegram-bot does not aim to be thread-safe.
You'll want to be aware of the following parts of python-telegram-bot's API that can cause issues in a multi-threaded setting:
- telegram.ext.Application/Updater.update_queue
- telegram.ext.ConversationHandler.check/handle_update
- telegram.ext.CallbackDataCache
- telegram.ext.BasePersistence
- all classes in the telegram.ext.filters module that allow to add/remove allowed users/chats at runtime
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Telegram bots illegal?
No, Telegram bots themselves are not inherently illegal. However, some bots may be used for malicious purposes, such as phishing attacks, which are against the law
Is using a Telegram bot safe?
Using a Telegram bot is generally safe, but be cautious when sharing personal info or account access with unknown bots
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